Love Over Partner
by gibbsxzivaxtony9761
Summary: When a bloodied Ziva comes to Tony's door, he can't let her in because Jeanne is inside. That mistake just might cost Ziva her life. She ends up kidnapped. TIVA better than it sounds I suck at summaries i know sorry guys! just read the first chappy please
1. Chapter 1

**This if my first NCIS fanfic; after reading so many stories about Tony and Ziva I decided to make my own! I hope you guys enjoy it! **

Ziva POV

I was running; that's all I was aware of. Shots were being fired from behind me. One was so close that it went right by my ear and almost made me loose my balance.

"You can't run forever!" He yelled in heavily accented English.

I looked around me, it was in the middle of the night and the only person that was closest to me was Tony's house. I couldn't run anymore, it was around 4 am and I was getting even more tired then when I first started; at 10pm.

I made a quick left just as a bullet skinned over my thigh. I sucked in my breath and continued, pushing myself even harder. I felt the blood run over my bare skin and I grimaced slightly.

I saw Tony's apartment come around and ducked into an alley so I could lose the guy. I fell back behind a trash can, my leg stinging and burning. I quickly assessed the wound but in the faint light I could only see the blood on my pearly skin.

I waited for a few minutes and went in through the back door and ran up three flights of stairs to Tony's front door.

"Tony!" I hissed and began pounding on the door.

There wasn't an answer after a few minutes, but then the door opened a crack to reveal a shirtless, sweaty, and disheveled Italian.

"What the hell Ziva? It's 4 am!" He hissed back.

My leg began to give out so I leaned against the door frame.

"I need you to hide me, Tony, please," I begged him, unable to see through my pain. I could almost hear voices three flights down.

"Ziva I can't! I have a girl in there, it's really important just go to the hospital Zee, please," I could hear the begging in his voice.

My eyes snapped open. He was my partner; he was supposed to take care of me, so why the hell would he choose to have sex with a girl over my life? I gave him a cold look, tears in my eyes and shook my head and whispered, "You're sealing my fate here, Tony, you really are."

I saw his face flash with pain and his hand lifted to cup my cheek when a new figure appeared behind him.

"Tony, who's she?" Her voice was sweet, only lightly accented with a hint of French.

"Nothing baby, she was just leaving," he choked out at her and kissed her cheek.

I felt myself break just as I heard voices down the stairs.

I winced and I felt Tony tense in front of me.

"Ziva, what's going on?" He whispered, still not letting me in behind him.

I shook my head at him, pain written all over my face and walked calmly away from him towards the only window in his apartment.

"Ziva, don't you dare jump, OK? Ziva, get in here!" Tony hissed just as the men clad in black came up the stairs.

"Back away into the building, sir, it's David we want," they had masks on and only there eyes were visible.

"No! What the hell is going on?" He yelled at them, his grip on Jeanne tightened.

I gave him one look, "Get back in, sir, it's nothing you need to worry about."

His eyes went wide and shook his head once, his eyes narrowed again.

I sighed and was about to make a break for the window when both the men caught me and dragged me to the floor, a knife pressed against my neck.

"Let's go, Officer David," he growled, his breathe hot in my ear.

I stopped struggling instantly and I let him drag me down the stairs, my head hitting the rail and knocking me unconscious. My last thought was how could he betray me like that? Me, his partner?

Tony POV

I was asleep with Jeanne wrapped safely in my arms when I heard her voice yelling my name.

"Tony!" Ziva yelled, her fist pounding on the door, threatening to break it open. I sighed and left Jeanne and walked to the door opening it a crack.

"What the hell, Ziva? It's 4 am!" I hissed at her, running a hand through my hair and trying to cover up most of my chest.

"I need you to hide me Tony, please," her voice cracked and she leaned against the door frame, her leg was covered in blood and she looked as if she were about to pass out right on the floor. It broke my heart to have to leave her outside and not be able to tend to her. Questions were running through my head, for example how the hell did Ziva end up bloodied and what if Jeanne found out?

"Ziva I can't! I have a girl in there, it's really important just go to the hospital Zee, please," I begged her, I couldn't take her in, I couldn't risk blowing my cover.

Her eyes snapped open as if someone had electrocuted her. Anger and disbelief flew through her features. I couldn't believe how much I had hurt her and how much I was risking just for this opp. I couldn't let her come in, it would get shady and then my cover would fall apart. I just wished that I could tell her.

"Tony, who's she?" Jeanne asked, her arm around my waist. I sighed and put an arm around her.

"Nothing, baby, she was just leaving," I choked out, my eyes were about to fill with tears. I couldn't just leave my partner unprotected like this; she was losing too much blood.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps pounding up the stairs and Ziva tensed and a tear rolled down her cheek as if in defeat. Now, I knew that I did seriously screw up; she was being tailed by some Israeli's that probably gave her that gun shot wound.

"Ziva David! Show yourself!"

My body reacted instantly, my muscles tensing and winding themselves tight around me.

"Ziva, what the hell is going on?" I hissed, my face clouded with worry.

She didn't answer me, but instead gave me a hard look and walked towards the window, relinquishing my help and my protection.

"Ziva don't you dare jump OK? Ziva get in here!" I yelled after her after she didn't respond.

Just then, the men were on the steps of the stairs and were in between Ziva and myself.

"Back away into the building, sir, it's David we want," one of them hissed out. My breathing hitched; they looked like Israeli assassins.

"No! What the hell is going on?" I asked them, my grip on Jeanne tightening.

"Get back in, sir, it's nothing you need to worry about."

Her voice was neutral and sad; her eyes were blank as if she had stopped hoping that anyone was going to help her. I have never seen her so broken before, I thought.

Suddenly, they lunged at her and whispered something in her ear that I didn't catch and they began dragging her out the door. Her head hit the railing and I winced as her eyes closed shut.

They had a gun trained on me and Jeanne so we couldn't move until they were out of sight.

"Tony, what was that, what just happened?" Jeanne asked.

I shook my head, "Crazy people, Jeanne, go home ok? Lock your doors and windows alright?"

I tilted her face up to mine and instantly wished that that was Ziva.

She nodded and pulled away grabbing her purse and running out my door in a panic.

I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed Gibbs' number.

"Gibbs, a bunch of Israelis just kidnapped Ziva, is the whole team still at NCIS?" I asked him, frantic.

"Yeah, DiNozzo, what the hell happened?" He yelled into the phone.

I sighed, the truth dawning on me.

"I couldn't let her in, Jeanne was here, I couldn't blow my cover. She had a gunshot wound to her thigh. She begged me to let her in but I just couldn't. They grabbed her. Gibbs, I just betrayed my partner my _partner_; she would've helped me out and risked it but I let them take her."

There was a silence on the other end of the line and then I heard a buzzing of voices.

"What the hell Tony! I can't believe you would do that to her!" That was McGee yelling.

"We'll be right over, DiNozzo, don't move."

Then the line went dead.

I sank down to the ground, my head in my hands. All I could see was Ziva's face, pale, broken, and defeated.

"I'm sorry Ziva, I'm so sorry."


	2. Chapter 2

**OK please review if you want me to continue it! **

Ziva POV

I felt the pain before my eyes were even open. My body was being bounced along in the back of a trunk and breathing was getting even more difficult.

I opened my eyes and looked around pounding on the trunk door, begging someone to open the door and let me out. I couldn't see anything in the dark but I could feel a puddle beginning to form beneath me and looked down.

My hand brushed against the puddle and I brought it to my face, examining it closely and felt my throat close up. I was lying in my own blood.

I quickly took off my belt and tied it around my leg to try and stop the bleeding. I cupped my hands on the wound putting even more pressure on it and winced.

The car kept moving and my body kept on bouncing around in the trunk, causing the bleeding to increase and it added to the already excruciating pain.

"Stop, please, make it stop," I thought silently. I felt tears prick the back of my eyes but held them in, curling my body into a tight ball, trying to make myself stay in the center of the trunk.

Suddenly, the car stopped and my body tensed again.

I heard voices outside the car and looked down at myself. I was only in a thin navy blue tank top and matching shorts.

The trunk clicked and it opened, revealing a dark haired and dark skinned man with matching black clothing.

He pulled me roughly out of the trunk and set me on my feet. My leg almost immediately gave out and I had to grab hold of the car door to steady myself.

"David, let's go," he pulled me into an abandoned factory and kicked me down the stairs.

I readied myself for the pain and didn't make a sound each time my body hit the stairs. I started seeing black spots and knew that I was going to pass out soon.

I landed with a dull thump at the end of the stairs, instinctively curling up into a tight ball to protect myself.

I heard footsteps above me and didn't bother to turn around and check who it was. The footsteps came to a stop in front of me and I was forced to look up.

I was instantly mesmerized by the man's black eyes. He held me up, a finger under my chin and a knife to my throat.

"David, it has taken us some time, but we finally caught you," he hissed into my face.

I couldn't look away, it was as if his eyes were hypnotizing me; making me hold his gaze until he tore it away. He dragged me to the single piece of furniture in the room; a wooden chair. He quickly cuffed me with plastic cuffs to ensure I wouldn't break out of them and tied my legs together.

"Now," he began pacing in front of me, admiring his knife and occasionally running a hand over the shimmering blade, "we begin."

He pressed the knife to my neck once again, "Tell me everything you know about NCIS and Mossad."

Tony POV

I heard footsteps in front of my apartment door but just couldn't get up. My heart was shattered and the guilt was threatening to kill me piece by piece.

Then, came the inevitable knocking, louder and louder each time followed by a familiar voice shouting, "DiNozzo! Open up!"

After ten minutes, the speakers voice stopped and there was a silence that seemed to last forever but was shattered when the heavy wooden door broke down. I heard more footsteps rushing to me, calloused fingers probing my body for wounds. My head was in my hands, I was curled up up against the wall.

"DiNozzo, what the hell's wrong with you?" Gibbs whispered. I was instantly hit with a scent of coffee and I looked up.

"Boss," I looked around trying to let the room come into focus. It took several seconds, but I finally saw those bright blue eyes staring into mine. Abby and McGee were behind him and I knew that Ducky was about to burst through the door.

"DiNozzo, what happened here," he whispered his voice unbearably soft.

I didn't want his sympathy because I didn't deserve it. I deserved to rot in hell for what I just did.

"Ziva came to my door a few minutes ago. She had a gun shot wound to her thigh. I couldn't let her in because Jeanne was there and I couldn't blow my cover. God dammit, fuck my god damn cover!" My temper seemed to shoot up and before I knew it my fist went through the wall behind me.

"DiNozzo, calm down! Yelling isn't going to bring her back," Gibbs helped me up and check my hand. There wasn't any blood on it, just a few pieces of plaster littering the surface.

"Then these guys showed up, took her away. . .all because I wouldn't let her in, all because I had to put my opp before her."

My eyes focused on an image of her face, far, far away. I could see her brown, almost black at times, curls framing her delicate heart shaped face. Then I saw her in action with a gun. Seeing her body move so fast was eerily calming to me. The way she threw kicks and punches left and right; she was like a one man army.

Then, out of nowhere I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head and turned to look for the source, shattering my day dream.

"DiNozzo, stay with me here. Do you have any idea who these men were?" Gibbs asked.

I shook my head, "Mossad, maybe, they didn't speak English too well."

"Could've been any Israeli then, Tony," McGee whispered deep in thought.

I nodded and sighed, "I should've just let her in. I should've just let her in."

I repeated that line over and over again both out loud and in my head. I felt Gibbs hand me the camera and asked me to take pictures of the crime scene outside my nonexistent door.

My eye looked through the lens to see spatters of blood along the stairs, each one getting bigger and bigger until it led to my door frame. The most agonizing thing about it was that I had to take a picture of each and every one of them.

"Tony, if you can't do this I could give you a hand," McGee whispered, his hand on my shoulder.

"No, I'm fine McGee, go bag and tag," I growled out, my politeness and playfulness had gone out the door when she was being dragged away.

He nodded once and went to a very frantic Abby at the foot of the stairs. I caught snippets of their conversation and those alone made me want to throw up.

"This is all her blood! _All of it is hers! _At this rate if she keeps losing blood, she'll be dead in a few days at the most!"

"Abby, shh, calm down ok? We'll find her before then. Maybe you should go with Ducky or something. I'm going to check her apartment to see if we can find anything that'll tell us where she is."

"Ziva, we're going to find you ok? Just hang on," I whispered, looking at the gruesome scene around me. Blood I was used to; but my partners blood, well, that's a whole different story.

Ziva POV

I looked at them in disbelief. They wanted to know about both agencies? Who are these people, I wondered.

"Well, start talking," he growled. Suddenly his pacing stopped and he was right in front of me, hands on either side of the chair's arms, his face just inches from mine.

I blocked out his image for a few seconds and contemplated what to do in my mind. I had absolute faith that Gibbs would be able to trace the calls he had made to my phone so all I had to do was stay alive until then.

"I have not been in Mossad for months; I bet a lot has changed there," I spoke my words carefully and confidently.

He smiled a cruel smile and promptly placed a cut on my arm. It was pretty shallow, but I had had a feeling he didn't want to kill me just yet.

"I don't care, I want to know everything you know and then the rest of the information I will find out," I looked down at where his knife was resting and instantly felt sick. The knife was coated in my blood already.

"I refuse to tell you anything," I hissed at him, waiting for the pain to come. Sure enough, it did.

He punched me twice in the ribs. I heard a crack and choked on my own breath.

"You will when I'm done with you, either you tell me or you die slowly and painfully. _Alone_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Come on guys you have to review or I'm just going to stop it right here. I don't mean to be rude or anything but um is anyone even reading this story? Because it sure doesn't look like it I'm sorry guys ):**

Ziva POV

"Alone," that word played over and over in my head. I didn't want to die alone; in fact, I didn't want to die at all. I could've handled the pain and I could've handled dying if it were natural and if people would've actually found my body. But what this man was saying is that no one would come looking for me. No one would miss me; not even my own father probably.

"Ah, is that a tear I see?" He asked his tone gruesomely smug and sweet.

I shook my head, I don't cry at times like this, I just think a little harder and get myself out of it. But the moisture In my eyes was a dead giveaway that I was indeed crying.

"It doesn't have to be this way. If you would just tell is the information we need to know, we'll just give you a little too much morphine and you'll die in your sleep."

The offer was slightly more tempting then the painful one he gave earlier, but nothing would make me tell them about Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Ducky, or Tony.

Tony. That name was like a smack in the face. It made my chest rip open as if the man had indeed stuck his knife through it, twisting it and then pulling it out, leaving a big whole in place of my once beating heart.

"I won't tell you anything," I whispered, determined to keep myself in check.

He laughed, "You will, in a few days you won't be able to stand it anymore and then you'll start talking."

Tony POV

"Gibbs, do we have anything yet?" I asked him for the fourth time after pacing my living room around and around.

He sighed, "Same as the last two seconds ago, DiNozzo, nothing. All we have is her blood. Her captors left nothing behind so all we can do now is wait for McGee to get back from Ziva's apartment and hopefully we'll get something there."

I nodded, my finger nails digging into the palm of my hand. The wait was killing me, a single pin dropping would've set me on edge.

"DiNozzo, sit down. Pacing isn't going to get her back."

His voice was distant; as if it were extremely fair away.

I shook my head, deciding to answer him, "I can't, boss, I can't stop thinking about her. And knowing I did this just makes it a whole lot worse."

"God dammit DiNozzo, you didn't do this to her! I mean, hell yeah you could've just let the god damn girl in, but you were following orders. If it were me I would've done the same thing."

I stopped and spun around to look at him. His blue eyes never left the carpet and his posture was as indifferent an hour ago as it was now. Stock, still, and ready. It always ceased to amaze me how he could be so still and patient in such absurd times.

"You really mean it, boss? You would've left Director Sheppard to die at the hands of a bunch of assassins?" I felt extremely skeptical. There was no way he would've let her die.

He sighed and finally looked me in the eye, "Yeah, maybe I would've."

That wasn't good enough for me. He would probably just blow his cover and protect her at all costs. Gibbs was an honorable man and a former marine. He knew loyalty and discipline like the back of his hand. He would never betray a partner.

I finally sat down next to him on the couch. I couldn't cry, my emotions were stuck inside me whirling around and around like a tornado; breaking me from the inside out. It was only a matter of time before I just blew up on everyone.

"Boss, we're back!"

My head snapped up and I was immediately on my feet, my hand on my gun. Gibbs gently rested his hand on my chest and pushed me back down.

"It's McGee, Tony, relax, this is good ok?"

I looked up at him, he was usually never this gentle with any of us except maybe Abby. It was strange and well just plain weird.

"Boss, Ziva's been receiving calls from a blocked number these past few days. A blood trail's also outside of her house leading her around a few blocks and finally, to Tony's."

McGee took a deep breath, and Abby continued for him, her face creased with worry and pain.

"Gibbs, Ziva was so strong. The paths she took on running went on for about 3 hours to say the least. Her apartment was wrecked, blood on the bed and broken vases and books lying around. She put up a really good fight," Abby was near tears and McGee quickly gave her a tissue from his pocket and she hastily took it, wiping her eyes.

"What if she's dead, Gibbs, what if we never find her and she's just lying some where all torn up and -"

I couldn't take it anymore. Her words pierced my heart like a knife. I cut her off sharply.

"Dammit shut up Abby! She won't die, she won't die because she's too strong. She won't die because she isn't _supposed _to die she. . .she. . .she just won't die."

At the end of it I felt tears in my eyes and I knew that the dam of emotions had erupted from inside me. I pushed past all of their shocked faces and ran down the three flights of stairs out the door. There were blood spots around the apartment's main entrance as well. I tracked all the tags McGee had put down and finally, was left at her apartment door. 207.

I was about to knock when I realized that it was open and pushed myself in. I stopped breathing for a moment and looked around.

The room looked like it was hit with a hurricane and then a tornado all at once. Everything seemed to be smashed, there were dents in the walls, holes in the walls, and broken glass littered the door way. I walked into her bedroom and saw blood on the sheets too. I couldn't stand the sight of her blood and turned away.

I walked out of her bedroom to her bathroom. This area was surprisingly clean and damage free. She had a few makeup boxes open and a few shades of lip gloss that were open as well. I was about to leave when I saw a piece of paper sticking out of the drawer. I opened it and unfolded the two page letter written in her neat handwriting.

_Dear NCIS,_

_If you're reading this then that means that I have been kidnapped, taken for ransom, or sent back to Mossad. If you don't find me after a few months or even a few weeks; I suggest you stop looking. There is no point. I am probably already dead. I have probably left many things unsaid and many questions left unanswered. Let me do my best to answer each and every one of them. It's the least I can do after you all accepted me into your team, or family. _

_Gibbs, I want to tell you that you have felt like a father to me. You took me in when my own father left me to die in Somalia. I am very grateful for that. I have always admired you and your perseverance, loyalty, and stability. You are truly the greatest and most honorable man I have ever met. I do hope to tell you this one day, but since I probably will not I wanted to write this. It doesn't matter if you can't read it. I just needed to say it in case you do come across this one day in the distant future._

_Tony, you truly are the king of all movies ever made. You are very funny and very fun to be around. I will never admit this if you read it, but I have always had a feeling for you. Something strong, almost like love but not quite there yet. I might explain this to you later on for I cannot stand hiding it anymore. But if I don't, I hope you'll never forget our movie nights from when I first started working with all of you. You make me feel safe, secure, even though you aren't the strongest man alive I still admire you. I will never forget you, Anthony DiNozzo, no matter where I go or who I become, you will always be in my heart._

_McGee, you are a genius. If it weren't for you decoding all the phone calls and tracing everything we would never have been able to solve a single case. You are very intelligent and very special so do not let Tony put you down and tell you otherwise. You have also been a good friend to me and you play a very important part in my life. I hope that where ever I am now, I will be able to find a friend as good as yourself._

_Abby, you are certainly unique in every way possible and you are very special. We have become great friends over the years and I hope that our friendship is everlasting. I love your pigtails and I love the woman you have become. Also, if it were not for you, we would not be able to solve a single case as well. You and McGee make the perfect team and couple; if I could be so bold to say. Don't make the same mistake I made. If you care about him, go to him. My love has already flown away with someone else; I don't expect him to come back for me._

_Ducky, you are a very brilliant doctor. I truly do enjoy your stories from you past and your childhood. In truth, I find them fascinating. My childhood was never as good as yours. It was spent away at Mossad, working operations and training. I trust that you will be able to figure out what happened to me and I trust that Abby will be there to help you along the way. Take care, my friend. _

_That is all I have to say. I hope you all understand that you are my family. I care about each and every one of you just in different ways. I hope that we will meet again someday, and I hope you never read this. If you're reading this then that means that I am either dead or captured. _

_Sincerely,_

_Ziva David_

I read the letter over and over again, my tears smudging some of the ink. I ran my finger over her signature, I felt even more broken now that I had read this. She knew that one day she would be captured and she would die. She just wanted all of us to know that she cared about us first.

Then, I heard the door open behind me and tensed. I whirled around, clutching her letter to my heart, tears rolling down my cheeks when a man with bright blue eyes came in the door.

"DiNozzo, are you ok?"

I shook my head, and bit my bottom lip. I felt like a little boy all over again.

"Tony, you just took off are you alright?" McGee asked, concern in his voice. Once he saw my face, his eyes widened.

"Tony what are you holding?" He asked me, motioning for me to hand it to him but I refused. I couldn't part with the one thing I had left of her.

"Gibbs, she knew she was going to die soon. She wrote us all a letter, telling each and everyone of us how much she cares about us."

My voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable.

Gibbs took the letter and skimmed over it, his eyes focusing on the paragraph about himself. I thought I saw a tear in his eye. He had a faraway look as he rubbed her signature at the bottom just as I did.

"We have to find her, even if she believes that she is going to die, we have to find her. Get to work!" He barked.

I nodded and let another tear fall onto the counter before I tuned everything out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Guys didn't mean to be a total bitch last chapter. I didn't really mean it when I said I wouldn't continue writing if I didn't get 20 reviews; I just mean that I would just update less not only because of that but because I have some school bs I have to get through . . . funnn. . .OK, so yeah just wanted to say sorry. If you don't like the fanfic you don't really have to read on I'm just writing it for the sake of writing.**

Ziva POV

I felt his hands on me as he pushed me to the floor. I didn't bother getting up and just laid there in a messy heap.

"David, talk," he yelled, kicking me again in the ribs. I felt a sharp crack and I felt something snap inside me and knew that he had broken another one.

"I refuse to speak of both NCIS and Mossad. I do not care what you do to me, but know this; whatever you do, I am stronger than that. Therefore, I will not speak a word of either agencies."

I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain to shoot up and wrap around my body, but it never came. I still felt his presence, could still smell his foul breath, but could not feel his body against mine.

"Fine, no matter. We have other ways on making you talk. I think it is time we make a little call to a very special Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, I am sure he is _very _worried about you."

My breath caught in my throat as he pulled out his phone, but then closed it again.

"No, no I think I should make this a little bit more entertaining," he smirked, sending a text message to Tony and walking to the door, receiving a laptop from the man outside, he opened it up.

"I will make this a little video chat, let us see how well you hold up when you see his face and the rest of the team," his tone was cruel, just like his deed.

I felt myself break again. This was worse than hurting me physically. I could deal with that, and apparently he knew I could. I just couldn't deal with the emotional pain this was sure to cause me. He stationed the webcam directly at my crumpled body and then there was a beep.

Tony POV

"Boss! We have something; he wants me to turn on her laptop and click on video chat, should I?" I asked Gibbs, turning my head around and running to the laptop McGee was on without waiting for a response.

"Yeah, DiNozzo, maybe we can trace this one."

They all crowded around the small laptop just as an image flew up. I couldn't make out the mans face because it was censored, but I could see Ziva.

"Ah, Special Agent DiNozzo, Special Agent Gibbs, and Agent McGee, how nice to finally see you."

The man's voice was husky and sent chills up my spine. My eyes were focused on Ziva's body, crumpled on the cold floor. She didn't look like she was breathing.

"What the hell do you want you bastard," I snarled at him.

He smiled, "I want her to cooperate, I'll leave you two alone. She will tell you the rest of what is going on."

I heard the door slam shut, and almost immediately Ziva sat up. Her tank top was torn to review the bruises along her rib cage and she was bleeding from her thigh and head.

"Gibbs, I need you to shut this off, shut it off now!"

Her voice was hoarse and it sounded broken. I stopped breathing for a second; I have never seen her so frantic and scared in my life.

"No Ziva, whatever he wants just give it to him!" I yelled from my seat. She barely spared a glance at me, her chocolate brown eyes filled with hurt and something I couldn't pick up on.

"He wants information on NCIS and Mossad, I cannot give him either. It is classified and I'd sooner die than tell him anything," she was trying to be strong, but at what cost I wondered. I wanted to go there and stroke her face, telling her that everything would be ok and that Gibbs and I would fine her soon. But I couldn't, because we had no idea where the hell she was.

"Ziver, I need you to stay alive long enough for us to find you, OK? So, stay on. Don't go off just yet, McGee is tracing it," I felt Gibbs' hand on my shoulder and looked up.

The ex-marine's face was clouded with worry for the young agent and his eyes had tears. He cracked a faint smile at her, trying to cheer her up.

"DiNozzo found your letter. I read what you wrote about me and all of us. I won't let you just die there, I'll find you and I'll bring you home and you'll be safe, alright?"

I felt myself crying silent tears, they wouldn't stop. I was suddenly overcome with a wave of emotions I could barely decipher. Love was one of them, then there was pain for both my partner and for Gibbs. If we lost her, he would be torn apart as well.

Just then, the door opened and the man walked in, with what I could see was a knife. He pressed it against her shoulder, making a deep cut from her shoulder to her elbow.

I ground my teeth together to stop the scream forming in my throat. At that moment, it was impossible for anyone to hate him more than myself. I was ready to pounce at the laptop and smash it to pieces just to see his face disappear. I was ready to run down to wherever Ziva was and kill him with my bare hands, prolonging his death and making him suffer before he died.

"Good, you have had a chance to talk. I hope you convinced her to stop being so foolish or cuts will be the least of her problems."

Ziva didn't look up into the camera after that. Her eyes seemed to be glued to the floor, chewing on her bottom lip and twiddling her thumbs, trying to play it cool. But the window to all her pain was her eyes. She felt everything that he was doing to her, so much that she couldn't react to it anymore; it was almost second nature to her now.

I looked up at Gibbs to see that his blue eyes were shooting daggers at the man. His hand had left my shoulder and was now curled into a fist, ready to strike anything.

"Damned bastard from hell, you know she isn't going to talk!" He yelled at the screen, his voice seemed to shake the walls around us. I then looked at McGee to see that his brows were knit together, his fingers typing furiously on the keyboard, trying to get a fix on their location.

"Tell me about NCIS and Mossad!"

Ziva gave a small chuckle and looked up into his eyes, "I refuse to say a word; you can kill me now and I still will not say what it is you need to know."

Then her eyes turned towards us, "He will not break me, no one can break me except for the one person that betrayed my trust."

I knew her words were directed at me. I felt my breath catch in my chest. My eyes fixed in on hers and my face contorted with pain.

"Ziva, I am so sorry. If I could go back in time, I would fix it and I would never ever do that to you ever again, Zee, please, I'm sorry."

She shook her head, "I wish I could believe you, _Special Agent _DiNozzo, but I cannot."

I heard her captor chuckled, "Just like watching TV, but it is live and in person."

"Damn you," I whispered darkly, "Damn you to hell for doing this to her!"

He smiled, "I know very well that I am damned, but that does not mean that I will stop doing what I love, just like you will not stop doing what you love; betraying and lying."

Then, the screen went blank and I was left in a state of shock and numbness. All feeling was gone inside of me, everything lost its meaning. The sick truth about what he had just said was that he was right. I did betray someone very important to me, and I was afraid that I would never get that trust back.

"McGee, did you get a lock?" I already knew the answer, but I just had to ask.

He sighed, "I was seconds away. But I did get a lock on the general area. They're close though, about 10 or 8 miles from where we are. I got a picture, it looks like any other house, blue doors, the house is made out of pure white marble, and it's huge."

"Oh god, I could kiss you McGee!" I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"No need, a smile is enough, Tony."

"Alright, grab your gear. Looks like we're going house hunting," Gibbs was already out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**THIS CHAPTER IS DETICATED TO GREENGIRL82 (: 3 Thanks for reading!**

Ziva POV

I looked at the man in front of me. He was smiling with a satisfied smirk on his face. I didn't understand why, because I had said a single word to him about what went on in NCIS or Mossad.

"David, your time is short. You will tell me now, whether you want to or not," his words were filled with a cold pleasure that made me shiver.

He signaled at the door and a man came in carrying a black briefcase with silver clasps. He opened it and brought out a long, thin knife.

He slashed it through my uninjured shoulder and made me cry out. The blade cut deep into my muscle and almost immediately blood was flowing freely down my bare arm. I clenched my teeth to hold back a scream and closed my eyes against the world.

"David, tell me where Agent Gibbs lives," his voice was distant, as if he were miles away. I filled my head with waves crashing against rocks on a soft sanded beach; but his voice cut through my vision of peace and tranquility.

"I don't know," I breathed out. That earned another cut; this time I did cry out. The pain was agonizing and each time it seemed to just cut deeper and deeper until I could barely keep my eyes open.

"David, the poison from the knife will kill you in a few hours. I have the antidote, but you will not get it until you give me the information I need," his voice was closer now, right up against my ear. I could smell and feel his hot breath.

"I refuse to tell you these details, you can kill me and the secrets will die with me," my voice sounded foreign, not my own.

There was a pause, I waited for the knife to come down but it never did. I looked up through my eyelashes to see the man in front of me with the knife, poised, ready to deliver another fatal blow, but my captor refused. He shook his head and looked down at me with a small smile.

"You truly are one of Director David's best officers. You refuse to break, even now, when you life really is at stake. The rest of them would've broken down by now, but you still refuse to say one word on either of the two subjects. I admire that, David, but I need to know what I am asking you," his eyes were on mine, fixed and seemed to burn whole through my body.

"You are wasting your time. I have told you countless times that I will not tell you," I whispered, sealing my fate.

He nodded, gestured to the man beside me and they both walked out, leaving me in the room all alone. There was no light, so I had no way of knowing if it was morning or evening. I curled up within myself, not looking at my wounds and tried not to cry.

"Gibbs, where are you? You have to find me, before I die."

My body was shaking from the pain and I could already feel myself slipping away. I was about to crash soon, I realized. I refused to close my eyes, and instead kept them wide open, looking at the opposite wall. Blood flowed from several of my cuts, coating my skin and forming puddles around me.

"I am going to die today," I mused, "Do not cry for me, NCIS, for I have died with honors and dignity. I have died, I hope, as an honorary agent. I hope that I have been a valuable asset to you, and I hope that you will be able to replace me in a short amount of time. Just," I stopped for a second, and began sobbing, "Do not forget me."

Tony POV

"Boss, we have go faster," we had only seen 10 of the 24 houses in the area and I was getting more and more impatient by the minute.

"I know that, DiNozzo, I'm going as fast as I can, dammit!"

Tempers were running short and we were all tired. I couldn't even shut my eyes now without thinking about Ziva and the state she was in. The video chat really did shake me up; I had never seen her so vulnerable before. She was never this vulnerable, she was always so strong.

We stopped in front of a white marble house, there was a black van sitting outside, and I could see a blood trail at the end of the driveway.

"Stop, this one's it, it has to be!" I quickly shook open my door before the car even came to a stop.

"DiNozzo, get your ass back here, we need a plan, we can't just all burst in! We don't even know how many men are in there," Gibbs called to me. I heard the engine cut off and then running footsteps and suddenly a hand was on my shoulder, dragging me into the shadows.

"McGee, scan the entrances, see if you can estimate how many men are in there. DiNozzo, you wait on my signal and my signal only to enter."

I was shocked, I couldn't just wait here, I had to do something or my mind was going to explode!

"Boss, you don't really expect me to wait here, do you? I can't just _wait _while she's in there, probably half dead!"

Gibbs turned around and gave me a silencing death stare that most victims would fall over crying for it to stop.

I sighed, and waited as they approached the house. Their footsteps were silent, and their bodies tense and alert beyond measure. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, running a hand through my hair. I was planning on what to do when I first see Ziva; would she want me to hold her close? Or would she rather Gibbs was there to comfort her?

I saw Gibbs give me the signal and I jogged to meet them, just as a bullet was fired and whooshed over my head. I looked up to see a sniper with his gun trained on me. I quickly pulled out my gun and shot him twice in the head. Glass fell onto the pavement and glittered like diamonds.

Then, all hell broke loose.

I heard Gibbs and McGee calling to me to get down, but I couldn't. I charged through the back door, shooting anyone that came my way. I scanned the area and decided to go into the basement instead because what were the odds of them keeping her in a bedroom like civilized people?

I heard another shot and turned in time to see someone charging at me. I punched them twice in the stomach and smashed his head through the wall. I then crashed down the stairs, and saw Ziva, she was lying on the flood and she didn't look like she was breathing. I ran to her, leaping over the few feet that threatened to separate us.

"Ziva, hey, Ziva, open your eyes, you're safe now," I pulled her to me, not minding the blood staining my clothes.

When I looked down, I could see that she had lost a lot of blood. The whole basement had blood on the flood and blood spattered on the walls.

I held her head up, her eyes fluttered open, but they wouldn't focus on anything in particular. It was as if she were already dead.

"Ziva, Ziva look at me _look at me!_" My voice was becoming more and more urgent with each word I said.

I heard a few men behinds me and grabbed my gun out of the pool of blood and aimed it. There stood a man with piercing blue eyes and gray-black hair.

"DiNozzo, it's ok, it's just us, Gibbs and McGee," they approached me slowly, and once I put my gun down, they charged me.

Gibbs got there first and gently took Ziva out of my arms, smoothing her hair away. I heard McGee making a call to the paramedics and prayed they would get here soon.

"Ziva, I will not let another daughter of mine die, you understand me? You aren't going to die, you're going to stay with us," his voice was just as frantic as mine, if not more so.

"Gibbs," she whispered her eyes half closed, "It is time for me to go. Do not forget me. Tell Tony that I forgive him and that . . . I love him."

Her eyes closed for what I feared was the last time just as paramedics rushed her away onto the ambulance. I watched it speed away, tears in my eyes and grief pulling me under.

"What are the odds of her surviving?" I asked a nurse that stayed behind to check me.

She hesitated, "Not much. She's lost too much blood."

I nodded, and suddenly I felt hollowed out. I had never even been able to tell her that I loved her with my life. I had never been able to tell her that it was her that I wanted, not those other girls that came and went in my life.

"DiNozzo, she's at Bethesda, you wanna ride with me?" Gibbs whispered, I nodded, stopping my watch.

"2:45pm, if she doesn't make it, that's the time of death," I whispered quietly, "I just wish that she had died in my arms."


	6. Chapter 6

**Haha I left you with a cliffy, didn't I! Well, here's the next chapter all of you are so eagerly awaiting. Oh, and don't forget, review (: keeps me going haha. Enjoy! **

**Oh, I realized I forgot to do this so here.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS ):**

Ziva POV

I heard faint footsteps on the stairs behind me, I didn't know who it was and my tired body and mind didn't bother to process the useless information. They could not possibly hurt me more now; not when I was on the brink of death and when my body is too numb to feel.

Then, I felt strong arms encircle my broken body. I try and open my eyes, but the effort was too much and my strength seemed to diminish even more. I felt the familiar scent of his cologne and aftershave mixed with sweat encircles me like a heavenly embrace. This is how I want to die, I thought, in this angel's arms, whether he is real, I know not, but I do not care anymore.

I tried once again to open my eyes, to see his face for the last time before I died and went away. Finally, after several tries, my eyes opened to be filled with his green ones and his soft, sweet face. Then, to my dismay, his eyes went out of focus; his whole body was slowly fading away. I couldn't see anything in particular now; I tried desperately to engrave his image in my mind, his aftershave, his smell, his humor. If I was going to die, I am going to remember him if it is the last thing I do, I thought.

"Ziva, Ziva look at me _look at me!_" His voice was frantic, his tone was urgent.

I heard pain in his voice, pain for me, and grief and remorse. My foggy mind registered the fact that he was sorry; truly sorry, so sorry that he was tearing himself apart inside and out.

Then, I heard another voice, a man's voice. His tone was much softer than I had ever heard it. It was filled with grief as well. I flipped through files in my head, trying to match a face to the voice.

I then felt my body being deposited ever so gently into calloused hands that were molded to hold a sniper, and yet it was also made to have a comforting touch.

"Ziva, I will not let another daughter of mine die, you understand me? You aren't going to die, you're going to stay with us," I felt something wet hit my cheek and tried to desperately break through the black waters that were threatening to pull me under.

I wanted to comfort him, to tell him that all was well, and that I was happy that I wasn't going to be dying alone. I gave my tired body and voice another burst of strength, and managed to say a few words to ease their pain.

Gibbs," I whispered my eyes half closed, "It is time for me to go. Do not forget me. Tell Tony that I forgive him and that . . . I love him."

My strength was gone, just like that, and my mind seemed to shut its self down. I tumbled inside myself, as many pairs of hands pushed and pulled me onto a gurney. I heard doors shut and knew that I was being sent to a hospital.

It is all in vain, I wanted to tell them, I am already slipping away. There is no need to bring me to the hospital; you cannot save me.

Then, the sounds of the outside world seemed to fade away and I was left with a blessed silence. My last thought, was Anthony DiNozzo, how he looked, how he smelled, and how much I loved him.

Tony POV

I was in Gibbs' car, my head in my hands, goose bumps covering my body. The car was silent the whole ride there. None of us said a word; we were too lost in our own mind.

I knew I was crying; I could feel the tears dropping from my eyes down to the car seats. My heart was broken and left with the young and beautiful Mossad officer currently in an ambulance speeding further and further away from me.

I could feel her life slipping with each breath I took; I could feel the pain nagging inside me, making my fists curl up to keep the pain and sobs at bay. It all hurt so much, and it all seemed to kill me inside out. I could feel myself getting more and more lost.

"DiNozzo, we're here. Get out of the car," Gibbs whispered, his voice hoarse, not at all retaining the businesslike manner he always seemed to have.

I got out of the car and walked like a dead man into the hospital. I seemed to tune everything out and my eyes refused to focus on a point in particular. For all I knew, my eyes were glassy and almost painted on. I didn't blink, didn't breath, and didn't see anything.

_This is all your fault, if you had let her in she would have been alive, your entire fault, _that annoying voice inside my head kept repeating the phrase over and over again. I would have given anything for it to stop, but I knew that deep down, I deserved it.

I stopped in front of the emergency room, finally realizing that people were talking to me and turned to the sound of the voice.

"What," I whispered my voice barely audible.

"Tony, I've been calling you for over a minute! Are you ok?" Her voice was laced with a French accent and her face was so familiar.

"No, no Jeanne, I am not OK. My partner is dead . . . I can feel it."

She looked at me for a second, not comprehending what I just said.

"What, what do you mean your partner? Tony, what's going on?" She asked, her doe like eyes gazing into mine.

"I'm scheduled to perform a surgery for a Ziva David," she pronounced it like David instead of Dav-eed, which annoyed me to no end, "Is that your partner?"

I nodded, tears in my eyes, "Jeanne, I work for NCIS, she is my partner, and because of the dumb mistake I made last night, she won't be alive to see another day."

As soon as I said those words, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth and the pain began a new, increasing and making it hard to breathe. There was a silence between us, it hurt more than anything. Silence seemed to scream that this was my entire fault; it gave me a chance to think.

Just then, a gurney was pushed from the elevator towards us.

"Dr. Benoit! We're losing her!"

I turned to the voice to see Ziva lying on the gurney, her eyes closed, and her face at peace. It made me rush over to her. I smoothed her hair away like I saw Gibbs doing earlier and whispered frantic words in her ear, praying she would hear me.

"Ziva, wake up, stay with me. You're going to stay with me, do you hear me? I love you, Ziva David, don't leave me, please," I whispered it over and over again, my eyes watering.

"Charging," I heard Jeanne shout over the noise, "Clear!"

I felt the shock through her body, but she was still limp, not moving. I checked her pulse and didn't find one.

"No, no, Ziva, come on, this isn't suppose to kill you, wake up, for me, Zee, please," I begged her, and laid my head on her shoulder, crying like a little boy.

The tears burned hot against my face and I felt pain pulsing through my veins as if someone had poured poison into my blood stream.

"Clear!" The process was repeated once more, and to my relief, I felt the faintest heart beat. It was so weak that I would not have picked it up if it were not for the adrenaline.

Then, she was taken from me; I was pushed out of the way as they rushed her into surgery. I felt my legs give out and I sank to my knees.

"Tony, its ok, its ok Tony," I heard Gibbs whisper in my ear, pulling me into a tight hug.

I finally knew what pain was, and I knew that he felt it too. Hell, he felt it every day ever since Shannon and Kelly died. I didn't know how I was going to live with myself. I felt sobs rack through my battered body and I didn't hold them back any longer. I felt tears on the back of my jacket and knew that the usually stock marine was shedding tears as well.

"She's not ok, boss, she'll never be ok," I whispered through my tears, my voice sounding foreign.

"She will be, Tony, she'll be ok and we'll see her after surgery and we'll see her at work, she has to be."

His voice was still in control, but I heard the emotion behind it. He was going on this blind; he didn't know what would happen next and he was only hoping that everything would be ok.

I finally pulled away from him and sat down on one of the plastic chairs, my hand running through my hair.

I looked up as I heard footsteps and saw Abby running towards us, tears in her eyes and McGee was right behind her, followed by Ducky.

She ran at me and pulled me into a hug, "Tell me she's going to be ok, Tony, please."

I shook my head and patted her back, "I don't know anymore, Abby. They already lost her twice."

She pulled away from me and she saw the tears on my face. She kissed my cheek and went to Gibbs for condolences that I could no longer provide.

"Gibbs, what's wrong with her? She's going to wake up tomorrow and be fine, right Gibbs?"

There was a silence and Gibbs patted her back the same way I did; emotionless, almost dead.

"She has a bullet wound to the thigh, and she's lost a lot of blood. But we're all praying that she lives through this one."

I shook my head, we all knew in our hearts that she wasn't going to make it. She was strong, hell she was a lot stronger then all of us, but she's lost too much blood.

I leaned up against the door, trying to get a glimpse of her, but she was already gone. A part of me died today, and if she didn't make it, well, then that part of me died with her.

**OK, hope you liked it! Now press that button on the bottom that starts with an 'R' and ends with 'eview'! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Haha, I'm not that cruel to make her die! Hell, if Ziva David died I would be pretty upset for a while haha OK, so here's the next chapter! REVIEWWW (:**

Tony POV

I waited that whole night, sitting in the chair, staring at my watch, then the wall, and back again. Each minute that went by seemed to drive me closer to the brink of losing my sanity.

"DiNozzo, drink your coffee before it gets cold," Gibbs whispered in my ear, trying not to wake Abby who was fast asleep curled up against McGee.

I took a sip, grimaced, and choked it down. I looked at the nurses that were rushing in and out of the doors, blood on their gloves and spattered on their scrubs and looked away. I began to picture the blood as Ziva's blood and felt worse and worse.

Then, Jeanne came out, her forehead sweaty and her eyes were red. A team was behind her, looking at her nervously, then back at us.

I got up first, running to her and facing her head on, my eyes boring into hers for an answer. She shook her head once and her eyes had tears in them.

"She's in a coma, she's barely responsive. I'm sorry, but we did all we could."

I felt the world close up around me and the hospital seemed to drift away. I wasn't aware of anything or anyone at that moment.

"Would you like to see her?" She asked quietly, picking up on my sadness.

I nodded once and she brought me to a spacious room, and there she was; just lying on the bed, her hair spread around her, her face at peace.

I sank down into the chair, gripping her hand in mine and kissing it softly, leaving my lips there.

"Ziva, wake up, come on Ziva, wake up," I cried out, oblivious to Gibbs, McGee and Abby behind me. My tears fell onto her bed sheets and some went onto her face. I continued crying, willing her to wake up and tell me that everything was ok.

Her monitors were making a faint beeping noise and when I looked closely at her face, I could see her eyes moving beneath the lids. I brushed my fingers over her eyes, marveling at her smooth and soft skin.

"Wake up, Ziva, wake the hell _up!"_

I was getting more and more frantic and I threw myself over her body, clutching her tight against me, crying harder. Sobs racked through my body as goose bumps covered me.

"DiNozzo," I felt strong hands grip my arms and pull me away. I was barely aware of the loud beeping coming from the monitor. He pulled me to the far end of the room as the doctors rushed in, paddles in hand.

I watched as they charged them and pressed them to her chest, willing a response. I waited for a few more minutes, and finally, the monitor began beeping again.

"Her heart beat is restored, just don't touch the cords we attached to her and she should be fine."

I nodded again, my hand reaching for hers, but I was too slow. Gibbs had already taken my place beside her bed. He ran his ringers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Ziver, we need you to wake up and come back to us, ok? Tony's waiting for you and he's going crazy. Wake up, come on, you're a fighter, you can do it," his voice was full of pain and sorrow.

He knew just as well as I did that she was slipping away from us, breath by breath, second by second, minute by minute.

I pulled up another chair and looked at her battered body. They had a breathing tube going down her throat to help her breath and IV's attached to her arms and hands.

My eyes then looked up at her face; her face was pale, but had a glow to it that I had never seen before. I ran my finger over her cheek, and to my surprise it was ice cold.

"Boss, she's freezing," I whispered, shaking my coat off and wrapping it around her.

When I looked into his blue eyes, I could see a smile in them.

"You really care about her that much, DiNozzo?" He asked, his voice low.

I nodded, "Yeah and it only took a near death experience to make me realize it," I snarled out sarcastically.

His eyes turned hard, "You can't keep blaming yourself for this, DiNozzo, just be happy that she's alive for now."

I nodded absentmindedly and looked over to McGee and Abby who were slowly approaching the bed. Abby had tears in her eyes and McGee just looked shocked.

"Boss, are you sure that's her? I mean, she looks like her, but, it's just. . .I never saw her like this before," McGee whispered.

I knew what he meant. The Ziva David we all knew was the one that was strong and never showed any signs of weakness. She was the perfect warrior in every way; she didn't seem to know what pain meant.

"Yup, it's her, McGee," Gibbs whispered, his hand over hers.

Abby rushed towards her and enveloped her in a gentle hug, her tears leaving wet traces on the pillows.

"Oh Ziva, why didn't you tell us something was up? We could've protected you and you wouldn't be here; you would be in your apartment or Tony's or Gibbs' and be safe!"

She was getting hysterical and McGee had to pull her off of Ziva, his arm gently guiding her to the seat at the back of the room.

Ziva POV

I heard everyone of their voices, and I willed my eyes to open, trying to make the horrifying scene in front of me dissolve. I kept on seeing his face, pressed against mine, blood running down my body. It was as if I were standing by, watching him kick me around, press the knife against my body, and the worst part was that everything was so _clear, _I could see every drop of blood that fell onto the floor, my screams were amplified as well.

Then, I started to feel someone's hand over mine. My fingers twitched and curled around them, and I felt my body turn towards that person, my body shivering slightly.

"Save me," I whispered.

Gibbs POV

I felt her fingers move from under mine and gasped.

"DiNozzo, she just moved her fingers," I whispered. Tony's head shot up and he looked at her, his eyes wide and pleading.

"Come on, Ziva, you can do it, wake up sweet cheeks," he said affectionately.

I felt her body turn towards me and she shivered once. Her eyebrows were knit together as if she were thinking.

"Save me," she whispered, her hand closing in on mine in a death grip. I rubbed circles in the back of her hand with my thumb, trying to calm her down.

"We're both here, Ziva, we're both going to protect you, don't worry ok?" I whispered soothingly.

Tony took her other hand and she immediately released mine, and turned towards Tony, her face flushed. She started to suddenly shake on her bed and the monitors began acting up again. I saw Tony wince in pain as her nails dug into his skin.

"We need help in here, now!" He yelled through the door.

Doctors rushed in, gently prying Tony's hand away as they gave her a shot.

"She needs to wake up," I yelled over the noise. I knew what she was going through. She was seeing what had happened to her again, and that wasn't healthy.

"But, if she wakes up, it's unpredictable what will happen next," Dr. Benoit, Tony's girlfriend stated.

"God dammit, Jeanne, wake her up!" Tony yelled, shaking her.

She sighed, and plunged a needle into her vein, causing Ziva to jump a little more and then, her eyes sprang open.

Ziva POV

My eyes sprang open and the scene in my head dimed. I began shaking and sat up in the bed, not recognizing where I am, I began to choke on the tube they had in my throat.

I saw Tony beside me and he gently pushed me down, yelling at Jeanne to do something.

"Take the tube out, dammit! Take it out now!" Gibbs yelled, his voice full of fire.

"OK, Ziva, I need you to take a deep breath and it'll come right out," Jeanne whispered.

I nodded and began breathing regularly and soon, I felt the tube slide out of the throat. I gasped for breathe, and fell back onto the pillows. I began crying hysterically, wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm and felt the needles in my arms being taken out.

"Hey, hey Ziva, it's ok, you're ok now," Tony whispered, climbing into bed with me and pulling me to him so that his long, powerful arms wrapped around my shaking frame.

"Don't leave, Tony, don't leave," I whispered, my tears still flowing out of my eyes, my body curled up tight.

He smoothed out my hair and kissed me softly; the kiss was filled with passion and happiness.

"I won't, no way in hell can anything take you away from me," he whispered.

I smiled up at him, and closed my eyes, drifting off to a restful sleep.

**Ok, now, ready, set, REVIEWW **


	8. Chapter 8

**The story's almost done! I hope you all enjoyed reading it! Review!**

Tony POV

I watched her sleep, her face smoothing out the lines of pain and fear. I smiled a half smile, my finger running over her delicate pink mouth up to her eyes and back again.

"She really is going to be ok," I mumbled mostly to myself.

"Yeah, I told ya, DiNozzo, she's a fighter," his voice was filled with pride and happiness. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that she really was his daughter.

I nodded, "That'll teach me to contradict you, boss," I joked.

He laughed; a real laugh, one that made bells tinkle and the hospital shake. I realized that he hadn't laughed like that in a while and I missed it.

"When do you think she'll be able to get out of here?" I asked, pulling the sheet up to cover her body.

He shrugged, "I don't know, go ask Benoit, maybe she'll tell us."

I laughed, "She's going to be pretty mad that I cheated on her, huh?"

"Yup, she will be. What woman isn't mad when a guy cheats on her?" McGee chimed in.

I looked over at him and Abby. Abby had a bright smile on her face, almost smug and McGee had a look that said "I told you so" written all over it.

"Shut up, McGee. We have more important things to discuss. For example, Tony, did you kill every one of those men in that house? Did any of them escape?" Gibbs asked, making my attention turn towards him.

I thought for a moment, I distinctly remember shooting three or four people, but I was pretty sure that there were more.

I sighed, worry clouding my body, "I don't think I got them all, boss, I was just shooting the ones that stood in my way."

Gibbs gave me a nod and there was a silence for a minute, then the doors slid open to reveal Jeanne Benoit, striding into the room.

"Jeanne, when can she go home?" I asked my voice soft.

She wouldn't even look at me. I felt a pang of sadness for the pain she must be going through, but brushed it aside.

"She can go home in a few days. But for now, you should all leave. She needs her rest."

Her tone was curt, and extremely short, closing the subject with a finality that I had never heard before.

"We can't, she's a target of a terrorist group. She needs an agent with her at all times," Gibbs strode over to Jeanne, his frame towering over hers. His blue eyes were stormy and filled with determination.

She hesitated at first, and then nodded, "Fine, you can stay the night, and then you can change off whenever you want. But I'm warning you, some things neither of you should see. Her body's pretty battered."

I nodded; I knew the scars she would be carrying after her kidnapping would be present for a while, reminding her of the event.

I watched through the window, my eyes filled with unsaid furry. She had lived, after everything that we had done to her, she had _lived! _That bitch, she really does like her life, doesn't she? I wondered. Now that there would be agents with her, neither I nor Jeanne could get to her.

I pulled out my phone and gave Kalfa a call.

"She is alive, and she has agents with her at all times. It is nearly impossible to retrieve her now. We will have to do it when she is out of the hospital," I mumbled into the phone, my voice filled with hate.

I heard cursing in Arabic on the other end and smirked, he never did have my patience, I mused.

"No, we cannot do that. Jeanne will surely be able to slip something into her IV; even with the old man and the fair haired man watching. They wouldn't know what was going on anyways. The Forensic Scientist, however, could easily figure it out. We have to get rid of her first, Dmitri."

I nodded, thinking his plan over, and finding several flaws.

"Kalfa, Jeanne does not like the girl, she will likely poison her to death. We need her alive and breathing to answer questions. Jeanne will not be able to perform such a task because her emotions will be clouding her thinking."

My voice was hesitant, I didn't want him to get upset over the phone because once I got back, he would be even more angry.

"That is correct, but if you threaten her, tell her that she either delivers us her slightly drugged but breathing and conscious or her life will be ended in less than five minutes," his voice was low, and I could hear weapons clicking in the background. I knew that they were relocating; our safe house was no longer safe, thanks to those pesky NCIS.

"Where are we stationed now?" I asked, walking towards the cafeteria.

There was a pause on the line, and then I heard people yelling. I immediately recognized them as my brother and Kalfa.

I waited patiently, and his voice returned, "At base, you remember, right?"

I smiled, "Yes, I do. I will see you shortly, and, with any lucky, I will have her in my arms to personally deliver her to you as well."

I snapped the phone shut and smiled, sipping my coffee.

Tony POV

"Boss, get changed, go get something to eat. She isn't going anywhere, and I'll be here," my voice was soft, barely audible.

I saw the hesitation flash across his face, and then he sighed. McGee and Abby were already on their way home, so the room was basically empty now not counting myself, Ziva, Jeanne, and Gibbs.

"Alright, take care of her, DiNozzo, I'll be back in a few."

I nodded, "Stay as long as you want, I got it here."

I watched him leave and my arms slipped tighter around the small Israeli's frame, pulling her close to me, the sheets draped on her body.

"You love her, Tony," Jeanne whispered quietly.

I turned to face her and saw tears in her eyes. Her face was flushed pink, and her arms were crossed over her chest in an attempt to hold herself together.

I nodded, "Yeah, I think I do, Jeanne, I'm sorry."

The words sounded even more pathetic coming out of my mouth. The words "I'm sorry" didn't cute it when you were breaking someone's heart. It hurt whether or not you were sorry.

She nodded, "Did you ever really love me, Tony?"

I sighed, "Yes, I did. I remember when you were all that I could think of, I remember when you were all that I wanted. But then, I realized that I was shutting her out; and because of that, she almost died. That's when I realized that I could never love anyone more than her."

I felt like she deserved to know the truth. Jeanne was a wonderful woman, she was kind, sweet, and beautiful. But for some reason, Ziva was even more so; her image was captivating. I didn't have the heart to tell Jeanne that I thought about her every time I went over her apartment. Why bother? It would only hurt her more anyways.

"But you were doing it because you were undercover; Tony, it's OK, I know you don't love me. You never did."

She walked out of the room, I saw the tears fall and I saw her hand reach up to catch them. I remember when she asked me if I loved her. That was the most difficult time in my life.

I watched her walk out that door, my eyes filled with unsaid words that I had planned to say to her, to make her feel better, to ease her pain. But for some reason, those words never seemed to leave my mouth.

I felt myself falling asleep in her bed and didn't notice when Gibbs came in with Abby until I heard a chair scrape back. I jerked awake, my hand going to my gun and saw an eccentric Abby with a bouquet of black roses and neon "Get Well" balloons. She placed them next to Ziva's bed and smiled.

Then, Jeanne walked in, a new IV in hand with a suspicious looking purple liquid.

"Jeanne, what is that?" I asked her, my eyes never leaving the pouch.

Her mouth was pressed together in a firm line and she shook her head slowly, "Medical uses, Special Agent DiNozzo, nothing you need to worry about."

I looked at Gibbs and he shook his head once, signaling that I wasn't to react. Instead, he went over to Jeanne and grabbed her wrist, pulling the pouch from her hands and ripping it open. The liquid splattered onto her hand and she shrieked in pain.

To my horror, the liquid had been an acid; her hand was now swollen and bright pink. The liquid that was on the floor was slowly eating a whole through the clean white tiles.

"You bitch, you were going to kill her!" I yelled, getting out of bed and grabbing Jeanne by the wrist and sat her down.

"Tony, I had to! You betrayed me! You hurt me so much when you told me that you loved her!" Her voice was filled with passion and her eyes swam with tears.

"Cuff her, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled, not trusting himself with her.

I nodded, "You're under arrest for trying to assault an Agent, you have the right to remain silent."

I pulled out the handcuffs and clicked them into place on her wrists. She cried out as I touched her burnt hand but I barely heard it.

"Are there others?" Gibbs hissed, tilting her face roughly up to meet his.

She gave him a cruel smile, her normally beautiful features turning maniacal, "Yes, of course there are, Agent Gibbs, they're right outside her door."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys sorry I took so long to update we have tones of tests and midterms coming up, God help me -.- so this will be the last update for like a few days unless your reviews convince me otherwise. **

**Enjoy!**

Tony POV

I immediately reacted, pulling one of the cuffs off and cuffing her to the steel bar on the end of Ziva's bed. The door burst open and two men commenced open fire; their bullets making shards of glass rain down on my head as I ducked for cover, narrowly missing a bullet.

"Gibbs, get down!" I yelled, my voice drowned out by the blasts.

"I'm right behind ya, DiNozzo, get her off the bed, we can't risk her getting hit; her body can't take any more damage," his voice was right in my ear, but it sounded far away.

I began to panic, my hands clammy with cold sweat as I picked her up off of the bed. I was immediately greeted with bright yellow blasts from a machine gun being aimed my way. I ducked away from them, Ziva wrapped safely in my arms.

"Ziva, can you fight?" I asked, my voice trying to surpass the gun shots.

She nodded, her face filled with determination and fatigue. I looked at the IV attached to her wrist and sighed, she was the best shot here besides Gibbs, if she could fight then she could fight.

"Alright, we need a plan. They will soon run out of ammunition and that is when we act. But they will probably find us soon, so we must have our weapons ready."

A few shots were sent over our heads and I could hear the men conversing in rapid Arabic, they were going to find us soon and we really couldn't afford to get shot in our state. We didn't have anywhere to run to, after all.

I could hear the yelling outside and more gunshots were fired, but I didn't have time to worry about the hell that was turning outside. I looked over at Ziva, hesitant on what I would find.

I could see the wheels turning in her head and nodded, drawing out my gun. Her hand dug into my pocket and pulled out a cell phone, immediately dialing the NCIS number. I looked at Gibbs, his eyes were vacant, focused on something else in the room that we couldn't see.

"Boss, you OK?" I asked my voice hesitant.

He didn't respond. I tugged on his arm and saw crimson red flood my vision. He was bleeding from a shoulder wound and he wasn't doing too good on it.

"DiNozzo, get David out of here, NCIS will pick me up, I'll be alright," his voice was faint, wavering.

I shook my head, looking for our exits and could only find a door to my left. I prayed that it was a bathroom and was about to take a dive for it when I felt my gun being wrenched out of my hands.

I looked up in alarm and saw Ziva clumsily get on her knees. She positioned the gun on top of her bed and began shooting.

I sucked in my breath, not daring to get up there and see what was happening. More shots were fired, and I saw Ziva's form waver slightly before glass rained down on us once again. Then, all firing stopped. We were left with an eerie silence that replaced the rapid succession of gun fire.

I looked at Ziva, to my surprise, her eyes were wide with shock but they didn't hold any pain.

"Ziva, you OK? You shot anywhere?" Gibbs whispered, I turned my head to see his eyes closed, his face covered with sweat.

I felt Ziva stiffen and she looked down. She gasped and rushed over to the bleeding marine, popping open his shirt and applying pressure on the wound.

"Gibbs, you must get medical help, you are bleeding out too quickly," she looked around at me, snapping her fingers at me, drawing me out of my trance.

I immediately got up to check on the bodies to make sure that they were dead and gingerly stepped over them, to only be pushed aside by NCIS agents and doctors.

"I have a man with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, and a patient that needs help," I explained to the doctors. They nodded and proceeded to get Gibbs onto a separate bed, not far from Ziva's.

I watched as they bandaged him up, my heart in my throat. He was so pale, his eyes were closed and his brows were closely knit together, as if in pain.

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked one of the doctors.

They nodded in unison, and began putting him on a heart monitor and oxygen mask, giving him anesthesia while they worked on the wound. I walked out of the now crowded room and into a bomb site.

The walls were turn with numerous bullet holes, blood was on the walls and the floor looked ready to crumble with debris and blood stains. I looked around, searching for McGee's face and found him sitting on one of the still standing bent up plastic chairs, his head in his hands.

"Hey probie, you alright?" I asked, sitting on the floor next to him.

He looked up at my voice, and then looked down at me, giving me a small smile, "Never better, Tony, why? Does something seem out of place?"

His sarcasm stung slightly, but I brushed it off with a question, "What happened in here? It looks like a bomb blew off."

He sighed, "Well, technically speaking, one did. We had to shoot our way through the hospital, it was covered with terrorist bombers from the middle east. Now that I think about it," he paused, lost in thought, "they were covering Ziva's room especially; most of the men we shot down were at the door."

He stopped talking, cutting his voice off and his eyes had that glassy look once again. I didn't want to push him so I just stared ahead, thinking about the recent events.

Ziva POV

I looked at Gibbs, the curtain they had established to give the surgeons room to work wasn't all that effective. I could see right through it.

I saw the scalpel go into his shoulder, drawing out crimson red blood. I winced momentarily, but forced myself to keep watching. _You did this to him, if it weren't for you, he wouldn't be cut open. _

I couldn't deny the annoying little voice in my head. It was all my fault, after all, if I had been strong enough to get out of their grip or just tell someone about what was happening, he would be fine. I sighed, snuggling deeper into the pillows, my eyes filling with tears.

I let the minutes pass by, my eyes glued to the clock on the wall, and when the surgeons walked out, I stopped one.

"Is he going to wake up soon?" I asked, my voice filled with worry.

He nodded, "He should be up in a few minutes if not less. The shoulder wound wasn't too bad, he should make a full recovery."

I nodded my thanks and watched him walk out the door. I got out of my bed silently, going over to Gibbs' bed and looked down at his sleeping form. That was when I realized how truly peaceful his face looked while in a peaceful slumber.

I saw his eyes twitch and covered my mouth to smuggle a laugh but it bubbled out anyways. He knew I was looking at him and he was about to wake up.

"Ziva," he whispered, and his eyes flew open, bright and blue.

"Yes, Gibbs, I am here," I told him, sensing someone behind me and felt Tony's arms around my waist. I let myself lean against him to keep my balance as I talked to my boss.

"Are you hurt? Did they get anyone?" His voice was hoarse from the morphine and barely audible.

I shook my head, "No, I am fine, Gibbs, you should rest."

He nodded and a silence followed. Suddenly, I became very aware of the ticking that had at first been very faint. I listened more intently, my body tensing to spring.

I wiggled my way out of Tony's arms and searched for the device, my heart in my throat, threatening to burst. We were in no condition to get out of the hospital; not when Gibbs was lying helpless on the bed.

"Tony, there is a bomb in this room," I hissed, my eyes probing every corner for the explosive.

He froze momentarily, but then began working. He checked behind the monitors and then under Gibbs' bed.

I walked over to my bed and heard the beeping increase.

"It's going to blow!" I yelled, ducking under my bed and finding the bomb stationed securely on the mattress.

"Does it have a detonator?" Tony asked, coming up beside me and trying to pull me away.

"Yes," a familiar voice whispered, "It does, and I'm holding it."

I looked over at Jeanne, she was holding the switch that would no doubt kill us all. She gave Tony a sad look, as if pleading him to forgive her.

"I'm sorry Tony, but I can't stand to think of you with her. I love you. Good bye."

**Oh, cliffy haha ok I am going to pick this up in a week or so god I hate honors classes-.- reviews will help with the speed of the next few chapters! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone! Thanks for being so patient and thanks for the reviews! Sorry it took me so long to update, I had to get my geo grade up -.- curse honors classes haha I have another midterm on Tuesday so I'll update after that and I'll be on everyday during winter break except for the days I have a tennis match. **

**So enough of my rant! Here's the next chapter!**

"_I'm sorry Tony, but I can't stand to think of you with her. I love you. Goodbye."_

Ziva POV

I saw the words fly from her lips and then everything went in slow motion. I lunged towards her, knocking her down and reaching for the detonator, while yelling over my shoulder.

"Go Tony! Get Gibbs and _go!" _I yelled, my eyes never leaving her brown ones.

"No Ziva, I'm not leaving you again, I can't!" He yelled back, desperation in his voice.

I sighed, his stubbornness was a factor that I hadn't calculated yet and hissed, "Do you want all of us to die? Just grab Gibbs and get him _out _then get yourself out, I can handle it from here!"

I heard movement behind me and heard a muffled sigh and a sob that I expected came from Tony; to my surprise, it broke my heart.

Then, I heard the door slam and I heard his voice calling for help.

"You slut, you stole him away from me," Jeanne hissed out, her nails digging into my arm.

I didn't register the pain yet and just lunged for the detonator, pinning her wrist down. I was in no condition to fight, I realized a moment before her free hand connected with the side of my face.

She wrenched her wrist away from my grip and quickly clicked the red button.

I heard an explosion and I was blown back several feet. I felt the fire scorch my skin, making it impossible to breathe as the quick tongues of flame licked against my clothing. I felt my body go limp and didn't respond to the positions I tried to put myself in.

I felt my back crash through glass and felt the glass dig deep into my back. Then, I blacked out, my body falling into a pit of never ending darkness.

Tony POV

I gave Ziva one last look and quickly went to Gibbs who was sitting upright, his eyes troubled as if a war was raging in his mind.

"Boss, come on, we got to go," I whispered, sliding his arm around my shoulders and supporting his weight.

To my surprise, he let me and leaned heavily against me, the morphine still raging in his system, making him dead weight. I dragged him out of the room and immediately called to the NCIS agents standing outside the door.

"A woman planted a bomb in that room, she has a detonator, I want you to go in there and take care of things before anything happens," I barked.

They nodded hastily, calculating a plan that would've taken me a second to think of.

"DiNozzo, she's going to get hurt, I have a bad feeling in my gut," Gibbs whispered as I walked out the door, grabbing a wheelchair and sitting him down on it.

"No, Ziva's strong as hell and she's a fighter, remember? She can take care of things I'm sure of it," no sooner had those words flown out of my lips when there was a crash that shook the ground we stood on.

I looked up at the hospital just in time to see half the building combust and ruble fly onto the pavement. Then, to my horror, I saw a woman fly out of the explosion, her eyes closed, her body badly burned so that blisters covered her exposed skin as well as blood. I abandoned Gibbs at his wheelchair and ran to catch the woman that had so cunningly stolen my heart.

"Ziva!" I yelled, my voice filled with unsaid furry and pain. I pumped my legs harder, pushed myself to run faster and faster, my arms out and the wind slapping against my face.

I felt the world speed up as I watched her body come closer and closer to the cold pavement that would surely take her life if the blast hadn't.

She was a few feet from the ground when I reached out my arms, capturing her battered body in my awaiting arms. The weight brought me to my knees but miraculously I kept her body from landing on the pavement. I laid her down gently, checking for a pulse and to my relief found one.

"I need help!" I yelled at the group of lucky doctors that had escaped the blast. They rushed over with a gurney and medical supplies. I watched as they took her into the half of the hospital that was still standing.

I tried to follow her but doctors and nurses pushed me back. Their voices blurred together, a mixture of "No sir, you have to wait here" and "You aren't authorized, sir" 's.

I sighed, and watched her get taken from me once again. I felt someone's presence behind me and saw Gibbs in his wheelchair, wheeling towards me. His eyes were a clear blue, showing that the effects of the morphine had worn off.

"DiNozzo, we have to prepare for the worst this time." He whispered, stating the obvious.

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, boss, I know. But I'm hoping that she'll come back to us again."

I was getting lost in my own world again, a world of what if's and different scenarios of the scene that I had just witnessed.

If I had been in there with her, maybe I could've helped her and gotten Jeanne to stop and think about things before she had detonated the bomb. Maybe if I had never even met Jeanne then this wouldn't have happened and Ziva would be OK. Maybe if I had just been a little bit smarter and heard the ticking ahead of time before it was too late I could've saved both of them.

"DiNozzo, don't go through the what if's, there was honestly nothing you could've done to stop this from happening," Gibbs whispered, once again reading my mind.

I shook my head, irritated, "No boss, there was a hell of a lot of stuff I could've done to stop all of this. For one thing, I could've just taken her in when they were after her, then we wouldn't be standing outside a half burned down hospital."

I turned briskly away from him and walked towards the hospital, or what was left of it, determined to get some answers to my burning questions.

I stopped the first nurse I could find and whispered, my voice urgent, "How's Ms. David?"

She shook her head, "Sir, we only just got her into an empty operating room. With very few doctors left, this is going to take a while. But from what we have seen, it's not looking too good."

She turned away from me and went back the way she came, leaving me with even more questions than I had to begin with.

Gibbs POV

I watched the anger radiate from him; it was almost tangible in the tense atmosphere. I knew how much he was hurting now because I had felt the same way when I found out Jen had died.

There was so much I could've done, I thought, if I had been there with her instead of being half passed out on morphine, then maybe I would've caught the ticking in time before it was too late.

I watched my Senior Field Agent argue with a nurse and sighed, getting out of the wheelchair and stood next to him, my hand on his shoulder.

"Any news on Ziva?" I asked quietly.

"No, they won't tell me anything," he hissed, clearly disgusted.

I nodded, I had expected that they would keep this on the DL.

I just couldn't picture Ziva lying on that hospital bed again, her body perfectly still and her face pale white. It was too different and it scared me more than anything. She was usually so strong, so how could she stop fighting and let her heart stop beating? It was something I could never come to terms with.

I looked up at the sky to see that it was infuriatingly blue, the kind of blue that makes you want to go outside and celebrate for no apparent reason. How could the world go on when one of my children are down there fighting for their life? I wondered.

I followed Tony into the waiting room and saw several doctors rushing in and out of doors as well as several gurneys with crisp white sheets over them. Those were the ones that were dead and there just seemed to be too many of them. I couldn't picture Ziva under one of the suffocating white sheets, I could never picture her six feet under.

"She's a fighter, she'll get through this," my previous words echoed through my mind.

I nodded, "Yeah, she will."

Now if only I could figure out if I was lying to myself or if it was the truth.


	11. Chapter 11

**Oh god I can't believe I haven't updated yet! Anyways, Merry Christmas! There might just be a few chapters left before I start a new NCIS fanfic!**

Ziva POV

I felt my body being pushed and pulled out of consciousness and struggled to open my eyes. I struggled against invisible hands and the bright white pain.

"Make it stop," I whispered, my thought never left my mouth and they continued to bring me pain. It was unbearable, my skin felt like it was falling off and I felt like I was burning.

"She needs morphine for us to help her. If the internal bleeding doesn't kill her, then the pain will," the voice was unfamiliar and had a strange ring to it.

I felt a needle prick my arm and then the pain began to disappear. My body went numb and I was flooded with a sense of ice cold water pelting against my skin, cleansing the pain away.

I drifted towards unconsciousness once more and welcomed it with open arms.

Tony POV

"Is she ok?" I asked every nurse that went by.

They shook their heads, "I don't know, sir, we'll find out soon enough, please, don't worry."

It was the same thing every damn time and every time I felt myself being submerged under more and more. My hope was melting away each time they said that until there was only a speck of light burning in my empty shell.

"McGee, I don't want any coffee," I sighed, assuming the hand on my shoulder was a very irritating probie.

"Tony, you got to drink something, you haven't changed either," he whispered in my ear, his voice wavering.

"I don't want anything to drink. It probably won't even stay down." I was a bundle of nervous energy and couldn't seem to stand still.

He sighed and turned away from me just as a doctor approached me, a grim look on his face.

"Special Agent DiNozzo, your partner. . .she is stable for now but she might not make the night. I'm sorry. I'll take you to see her."

I nodded numbly and followed him into the only standing room in the whole hospital. I couldn't ignore the burning scent of death and smoke that filled the air.

"Ziva," I breathed, rushing to her side and grasping her hand in mine. She didn't stir one bit, but I swore that I saw her eyelids flutter once. I knew she could hear me.

"Ziva, wake up. Come on, wake up, Ziva, I'm here," I whispered, tears in my eyes.

"I just got you back, you can't leave me again, please, and I'll protect you just as long as you wake up again, Ziva."

Her body was limp and pale against the equally pale sheets. I lifted my other hand to rest on her cheek and stroked I gently. To my surprise, the skin was still just as soft.

"Ziva, come on, open your eyes my love, open them, for me, Ziva," I whispered again, hoping against hope that her eyes would open and stare into mine again. Those chocolate brown eyes drove me crazy from the first moment I saw them. Her first question almost made me bark out laughing, "Are you having phone sex?" The first thought I had was: "Wow, I'm going to like this girl."

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Gibbs walking towards us, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. I looked up at him, my face stained with tears.

"Ziver, we're all waiting for you to wake up, sweetie. Do us all a favor and open your eyes so DiNozzo will stop talking to himself and so I can get some sleep without rushing all the way out here with half my mind," he had a smirk on his face, but I saw past his façade.

I saw the evident pain and worry etched into his features that only she could erase. I saw the anger of not being able to protect her there as well as the anguish. His emotions mirrored mine but his was more intense. It was like a burning flame that fixated your gaze and captured you in his pain that seemed to burn anything it touched.

"Boss, you're hurting," I thought out loud involuntarily.

I pulled up another chair for him to sit down in and he gladly collapsed, a hand over his eyes. He didn't bother to answer me; just sat there. I was content with the silence, my thumb stroking small circled in her hand.

"Yeah, DiNozzo, I've been hurting ever since we got to this damn place," his voice was a low hiss of fury.

I tore my eyes away from her face and met ice cold blue eyes that took her place.

"It's ok to hurt, you know? I'm hurting, I'm pretty sure McGee and Abby and Ducky are all hurting."

It was a blunt statement, everyone who knew Ziva would be hurting because she was just that big of a part in our lives.

"Yeah DiNozzo, I know that! But what I don't know is if she's going to make it out of this one!" He yelled, shoving his chair roughly back against the battered wall and springing to his feet.

His anger was almost tangible and seemed somewhat contagious. I threw my chair back next to his and leapt to my feet, releasing her hand.

"What's that suppose to mean, huh? You know that she's a fighter; you know that better than anyone here, hell, you _told _me that she was a fighter how could you doubt that now?" I yelled back, my anger turning towards him.

"Look at her, DiNozzo, she looks like she could collapse any second; and the worst part is that you could've prevented all of this if you would've just _let her in your damn door!" _

I looked at him, shocked. So, I thought, that's what he's been trying to say through this whole ride through hell. He was thinking this the whole time; how it was all my fault, how stupid I was and what a jack ass I was being. The worst part was that he was right; I could've saved her from so much if I had just let her in my door and made some excuse to make Jeanne get the hell out.

"That's what you've been trying to say this whole time? Well I'm glad you said it, because it makes things a whole lot easier now that I know how you feel," I hissed.

We were nose to nose when she door opened. We both turned to face a shocked McGee with a tray of coffees in his hand.

"What, McGee?" Gibbs barked out.

"I, um, wanted to know if you guys wanted coffee. What's with the yelling?" He asked, cautiously putting the coffee on the table and taking one step closer to us.

"Nothing, Tim, just forget about it," I whispered, I felt all the power drain out of me and I slumped back into the seat I had shoved away earlier, and pulled it closer to the bed.

I heard McGee walk out the door and the door closed with a soft click. I looked up at Gibbs, my eyes swimming with tears. I felt hurt that he had said that to me, I knew I deserved it but it just hurt so much more knowing that everyone was going to blame me even after I was still blaming myself.

"Boss, I know it's my fault OK? I've been trying to make it up to her, to you, but I just can't."

I buried my face in my hands, so frustrated with myself that I didn't feel the slight movement beside me.

Then, I heard coughing and looked up, startled. I saw Ziva on the bed in the same position; the only difference was that her eyes were open and she was reaching for the glass of water beside her bedside table.

"Ziva!" I exclaimed, grabbing the water and pressing it to her lips. She took a few swallows and waved it away, a faint smile on her face.

"Tony, why are you so happy to see me?" She asked, giving me a short bark of laughter.

I enveloped her in my arms, pressing her against me. I felt her arms wrap around my torso and knew that I was finally whole again.

I pulled away slightly to kiss her forehead and smiled at her. This wasn't a signature DiNozzo pick up line smile, it was a genuine smile filled with happiness and relief too much to express.

"Ziver, you're awake," Gibbs breathed, going to the other side of her bed.

She nodded, the smile still on her face," Yes, Gibbs, I am. You should not have doubted that I would not fight for my life."

I smiled triumphantly at him, "See boss, I told you she was going to be just fine."

Gibbs looked at me, his blue eyes conveying an apology that he would never put into words. I nodded my understanding and sent him a smile showing that I understood.

"Yeah Dinozzo, you were right. But let's make sure that we keep her that way ok? Oh, and next time do us all a favor and _let her in_ the next time she comes knocking at your door."

I nodded and he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I looked at Ziva and climbed under the covers with her, she curled up onto my chest, her hands gripping my shirt.

"Tony," she gasped out and started sobbing. I held her close, murmuring complete nonsense trying to calm her down. I understood the pain that she felt and the fear that gripped her core and twisted her around. It was enough to break anyone, even a former Mossad officer.

When she was finished, she was silent, her head laying on my chest. I had my arms around her body, willing my strength and heat to seep into her. I tilted her face up and smiled at her again and kissed her.

My lips moved softly against hers, and I felt tears roll down her cheeks again. I kissed each one of them away with my lips, my hands in her hair and my arms holding her close to me.

"I will never let anyone hurt you ever again, Ziva, you can count on that. I give you my word."

She nodded and fell into a blissful sleep. I watched her sleep after a while and whispered in her ear three magical words that I thought would never come out of my mouth.

"I love you."

**This is the end! I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm starting up a new story though so be sure to read that! Oh, and review! Make me happy haha MERRY CHRISTMAS! Oh, reviews are a great Christmas gift (: **


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